I relied on a system to prolong my life in ancient times.

Chapter 40 Qinzhou Prefecture

As the carriage arrived at the gate of the mansion, the majestic and ancient city wall and the vermilion arched gate in front of it evoked a sense of solemnity.

After entering the prefectural city, the group first found an inn called Yunlaiju and put down their luggage. Only then did they leave the inn to explore Qinzhou Prefecture.

Qinzhou Prefecture was even more prosperous than Peach Blossom Town, with antique buildings everywhere, pavilions, towers, and grand mansions. Shops lined both sides of the street, displaying a dazzling array of goods.

The road was wide and smooth. The pedestrians on the road were dressed in bright and beautiful clothes, some in brocade and fine silk, their clothes fluttering in the wind, a sight to behold.

Looking at the smiling faces of the pedestrians, Xiao Siyue felt that the people here should be doing well. Judging from the appearance of the people, the governance of Qinzhou Prefecture should not be very strict, and the prefect should be a good official.

"Father, Mother, the city looks so prosperous!" Xiao Siyue exclaimed. She felt like she couldn't take it all in. There were so many fun things to see, and the variety was endless.

“Yes, Qinzhou Prefecture is one of the most important cities in the Great Zhou Dynasty. Its geographical location is crucial, and it is also the gateway to the entire Great Zhou Dynasty. And that prefect is a rare and excellent official. In the past few years, he has managed Qinzhou very well. The people live and work in peace and contentment, commerce is thriving, and public security is also very good,” Xiao Qinian said with emotion.

Xiao Siyue thought to herself, "I knew it."

"Daddy, let's go take a look over there," Xiao Siyue said excitedly. She took Xiao Qinian's hand and ran all the way to a bustling place.

The place was bustling with people, and the noise was deafening. Xiao Siyue looked around curiously, and finally squeezed through the crowd, only to find that a spectacular juggling performance was taking place.

Wow! So there really is such a feat as breaking a boulder on one's chest! That's truly amazing!

Xiao Siyue stared wide-eyed at the scene before her. A burly man lay flat on a specially made bench, his chest weighed down by a huge stone slab. Another man held a large sledgehammer, preparing to smash it down on the slab.

Everyone around held their breath, watching them intently. Just then, the man with the hammer swung it violently, the hammer slamming heavily onto the stone slab. With a loud "bang," the stone slab shattered instantly into countless small pieces, fragments flying everywhere.

Xiao Siyue could hardly believe her eyes; this scene was truly shocking! But what was even more surprising was that the man who had been lying under the stone slab stood up as if nothing had happened and bowed deeply to the audience around him.

A cheer and applause immediately erupted from the crowd, with people expressing their appreciation for the thrilling performance.

This is incredible! She had always thought that the biggest stone on her chest was just a facade, a fake, but now that she's seen it with her own eyes, she can't help but believe it!

"Yue'er, do you want some candied hawthorns?" After watching the acrobatic performance, the two of them stopped in front of a vendor selling candied hawthorns with Xiao Siyue.

"Mmm, Daddy, I want to eat some." Xiao Siyue stood in front of the candied hawthorn stall, her eyes fixed on the strings of bright red candied hawthorns, her mouth almost watering.

She clung tightly to her father's clothes, her face full of anticipation, and said, "Father, can you buy me a string of them?"

Father smiled and patted her head gently, replying, "Of course!" He turned to the shopkeeper and said, "Boss, a skewer of candied hawthorns, please."

"Alright!" the shopkeeper replied enthusiastically, quickly taking a candied hawthorn from the straw rack and handing it to Xiao Siyue. "Here you go, little girl, here's your candied hawthorn, 5 coins."

Xiao Siyue happily accepted the candied hawthorn, eagerly taking a bite. The sweet and sour taste instantly spread in her mouth. She squinted her eyes with joy, her face beaming with a happy smile.

The three of them strolled around the streets for a while before returning to the inn.

"Brother Xiao, you're back?" Han Zhiyan asked when he saw them return. They had invited Han Zhiyan when they were preparing to go out, but Han Zhiyan wasn't interested in shopping. He had been here several times before and was very familiar with the city, so he went to his room to rest.

“Yes, Brother Han, you’ve had a good rest,” Xiao Qinian replied.

"Hmm, Brother Xiao, please have a seat. How was your trip today?" Han Zhiyan invited Xiao Qinian to sit down.

"Qin Prefecture is indeed a place of outstanding people and abundant resources, bustling and prosperous," Xiao Qinian said with a smile.

"Is Yue'er happy today?" Han Zhiyan bent down, patted Xiao Siyue's head, and said with a doting expression. After spending these few days together, Han Zhiyan had grown very fond of Xiao Siyue, who was obedient, clever, and quick-witted.

"I'm happy, there are so many fun things to do on the street," Xiao Siyue nodded and said.

"There are still a few days until the exam. I wonder what your plans are, Brother Xiao?" Han Zhiyan asked.

"I want to review my books in the next few days and get to know the other students taking the exam." Although Xiao Qinian was very confident that he would pass the exam, there are always people better than him, and he needed to understand the gap between himself and the others.

“Brother Xiao and I have the same idea,” Han Zhiyan also had this plan and had already received some news.

"Brother Xiao, to be honest, I've already heard some things. Did you know that more than 60% of the people in this inn are students who will be participating in this scientific expedition?" Han Zhiyan said in a low voice.

"Oh?" Xiao Qinian couldn't help but glance around. Sure enough, looking at the people around him, some of them were dressed as scholars.

"I heard from them that the one with the best chance of winning the top scholar title in this provincial examination is the son of the prefect," Han Zhiyan said calmly, glancing at the people around him. "This is information that my servant went through a lot of trouble to find out!" After saying that, he turned his gaze to the people around him.

"Brother Han, have you ever met this young master?" Xiao Qinian couldn't help but be curious about what kind of person this prefect's son was.

"No, but I've heard that this young master is a student of Minister Gao." Han Zhiyan was somewhat envious. Although his family was wealthy, they didn't have many connections. He had his own private tutors, but they were all failed candidates. He couldn't get in touch with someone of this caliber.

Xiao Qinian also knew Gao Shangshu. He had heard that Gao was already sixty years old this year. He had many disciples and could be said to have students all over the world. He was very learned and was also the top scholar in the imperial examination back then.

“That’s certainly very possible,” Xiao Qinian said. Although he was envious, he wasn’t discouraged. He didn’t think he was that bad. After these years of growth and experience, he was no longer a hot-headed young man.

In the following days, Xiao Qinian devoted all his attention to reading, while only Lin Qin and Xiao Siyue started shopping.